Door lift mechanism



lApril 25, 1.944. F. Dn'cl-IFIELD DOOR lLIFT MECHANISM Filed May 6, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 April 25, 1944. F. D|TCHFIELD DOOR LIFT MECHANISM Filed May 6, 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Apr. 25, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE noon LIFT MEcHANIsM Frank Ditchield, Cleveland, Ohio, assignor to The Youngstown Steel Door Company, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application May 6, 1943, Serial No. 485,825

(c1. ir- 99) 7 Claims.

This invention relates to door lift mecha- .nisms and is directed primarily to lift mechanisms which are applied to the structure on which the door is mounted rather than upon the door.

It is an object of this invention to provide lift mechanisms of the character indicated which shall `be sturdy, easy to operate, eliminate castings, and involve a reduction in cost over lift mechanisms now in use.

A further object is to provide lift mechanisms of the character indicated which shall embody continuous ldoor tracks associated with the mechanisms in protective relationship.

A further object is to provide lift mechanisms of the character indicated which slall embody continuous door tracks and attaching brackets capable of assembly into a unit for application to the desired structure. v

'Other objects of the invention will become 'clear as the description thereof proceeds. In the drawings forming part of this specilication:

Fig. `1 is a fragmentary elevation with parts broken away of a railway house car showing a door lift mechanism Vembodying the invention applied thereto, the door being shown in lowered position.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a vertical section taken on line 4 4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4 showing the door-in elevated position. Fig. 6 is a Vertical section taken on line B-E of Fig. 1. Figl '1 is an elevation of the inner bracket member.

Fig. 8 is an elevation of the outer bracket member.

The lift mechanism embodying the instant invention is shown applied to a railway house car I0 illustrated fragmentarily in the drawings. As illustrated the car embodies metallic sheathing secured along' its lower margin as by means of rivets I2 to the upstanding flange I3 of an-angle side sill |4. The side sill embodies also an inwardly extending horizontal iiange l5 upon which the oor I6 of the car is adapted to be supported. This side sill I4 is reinforced through the customary door opening and for a portion-beyond the rear of the door opening by means of a side sill reinforcement' I1 illustrated 55 in Fig. 2 of the drawings as a bulb angle, the horizontal ange I8 of which is secured to the horizontal flange I5 of the side sill in any desired manner. The vertical flange I9 of the bulb angle extends downwardly and provides a base for the attachment of the lift mechanism of the instant invention.

This lift mechanism embodies a plurality ,of longitudinally yand uniform spaced brackets which are preferably identical in construction. Each of these brackets 20 comprises an inner member 2| formed preferably of sheet metal so as to include a web 22, side walls 23 and 24 and oppositely extending-attaching anges 25 and 26. As more'clearly illustrated in Figs. 5 and 7, the web 22 of the inner bracket member 2| `extends above the side Walls and attaching flanges. The bracket 20 comprises also an outer bracket member 21 formed preferably of sheet metal so as to include a web 28, side walls 29 and 30, and oppositely extending attaching flanges 3| and 32. As more clearly shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings. the inner and outer bracket members 2| and 21 are associated in overlapping relationship with the respective attaching flanges overlapping and being secured to the vertical ange I9 of the side sill reinforcing member I'las by means of rivets 33 and 34. The webs 22 and 28 of the bracket members are spaced laterally from each other. The side wall 3U of the bracket member 2l is notched, as indicated at 35 in Figs. 4 and 5 of the drawings, for a purpose which will hereinafter appear. As more clearly shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings, the web 28 and the side walls 29 and 39 extending from the web 28 to theweb 22 of the bracket member 2| lie below the upper end of the attaching flanges 25 and 26. 'I'he side walls 29 and 30 then extend upwardly as indicated at 35 tothe upper end of the attaching flanges 25 and 26 so that the attaching anges 3| and 32 of the outer bracket 21 are of the same height as the attaching flanges 25 and 26 of the inner bracket member 2|.

An angle member 36 is secured to the web 22 of the inner bracket member 2| as by means of rivets 31 which extend through the web 22 and the vertical leg 38 of the angle member. The other leg 39 of the angle member extends outwardly and, as more clearly shown in Figs. 4 and 5 of the drawings, is formed to provide horizontal portions 40 and 4| connected by means of an inclined portion 42.

A similar angle member 43 is secured to the inner face of the web 28 of the outer bracket member 21. The securement is preferably effected by means of rivets 44 passing through the web 28 and the vertical leg 45 of the angle member. The other leg 46 of the angle member extends inwardly in opposed relationship to the leg 39 of the angle member 36 and is similarly formed so as to embody substantially horizontal portions 41 and 48 connected by an inclined portion 49. It will be observed, particularly from Fig. 2 of the drawings, that the legs39 and. 46 of the angle members 36 and 43 are spaced from each other.

A roller G is disposed between the pair of angle members carried by each bracket. Each roller 58 preferably carries a roller bearing, (not shown) through which a pin 5| extends. 52 and 53 are mounted on the pin 5| on' either side of the roller 58 so that the ends of the pin project beyond the discs. The discs 52 and 53 are seated upon the legs 39 and 45 of the angle members 36 and 43.

The ends of each pin 5 I are supported inayoke member 54. As more clearly shown. in Fig. 3 of the drawings, the yoke member 5,4- embodies a pair of substantially channebshaped members 55 and 56 between which the roller and associated discs are received. The members. 55and 55 comprise also flanges 51 and 58. and flanges 59 and 68. The flanges51` and 59 areopposed and spaced apart so as to receive between thern and be secured to the flattened end 6l of a connecting pipe member 62. Similarly, the flanges 58 and 68 are opposed and spaced apart so as to receive between them and be .attached to the flattened end 63 of a connecting pipe 64. In this. manner the rollers 5D are connected together for simultaneous operation..

In the illustrated preferred embodiment of the invention the brackets 2l)v support a continuous track 65. As illustrated; the track 65 is. channelshaped in section and embodies a ,web 6.8 and downwardly extendingside walls 61 and4 68. The side wall 61- is securedy to the web 28 of the outer bracket member 21 by` means of a plate member 69. and the side Wall 68 isl secured directly to the web 22 of the inner bracket member 2l, as more clearly shownin Fig. 2.of theV drawings.

The webllv of the track 65 is sodisposed that when the rollers are in the position shown.v in Figs. 1 and 4 of the drawings, it will lie above. the rollers. Where the.` rollers occur the. web 56 is cutaway, as indicated at 10, so that the rollers may be projected above the web for a purpose which will hereinafter appear. It. isA to be understood that while a continuous trackis preferred, the instant invention is not limited thereto. Separatetrack sections attached to the brackets .may be'utilizedor, if. desired, thetrack or track sections. may be; dispensed with. entirely and the bracketsused directly as door supporting. means.

The track 65` is adapted. to frictionally support a sliding door 1IV inany position of the door. The door illustrated is of Wellknown construction and need not here be described in detailexcept to point out that an angle; member 12 is secured to the lower portion of the door between the'panel 13 and the backing. plate 14. The horizontal leg of the angle member 'I2 is adapted to engage the web 66 of the track when the door is being frictionally supported thereby. Also secured to the bottom of the door are a plurality of spaced retaining brackets, one of which isl shown at 16. These retaining brackets are. substantially Z- sh-aped inA section and embody aweb 11 adapted to engage'thef web 66 of the .track anda depending flange 18. adapted to lie between the side wall. 68

Discsv of the track and the side sill reinforcement I1 in order to prevent accidental disengagement of the door from the track.

In addition to the brackets hereinabove described the lift mechanism embodies a track supporting bracket 19 which serves to support the forward edge of the track. The bracket 19 em bodies a pair of substantially Z-shaped members and 8| having depending overlapping flanges 82 and 83 which are secured as by means of rivets 84 to the vertical leg I9 of the side sill reinforcing member. The upstanding anges 85 and 86 of the Z-shaped members 88 and 8l are secured directly to the side walls 61 vand 68 of the track 65 and are spaced apart so as to receive an 0perating member 81.

The operating member 81 is preferably a length of pipe one end of which is flattened, as indicated at 88, and pivotally secured between the flanges 51 and 59 of the adjacent yoke member 54, as indicated at 89. The other end of the operating member 81 is also flattened and pivotally secured to an operating lever 90 the lower end of which is pivotally mounted upon a member 9| fastened to the side sill reinforcement as more clearly shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings. In order to obtain pivotal securement of the operating member v81 to the lever a flange 92 of the: well known front door stop 93 is coped, as indicated at 94.

As illustrated in Fig. l of thev drawings, ve roller brackets are ample for the support of the door. As indicated above, these brackets are uniformly spaced andare sovarranged that the door when elevated will at all times be supported upon three rollers.

In order to move the door along the track it is rst elevated above the track by means of the hereinabove described liftmechanism so thatit will then be supported upon the rollers rather than upon the track. Inorder to elevate the ldoor forv movement upon the rollers the lever 9B.- is swung in a counter-clockwise direction as .viewed in Fig. 1 of the drawings. Movement toward the left is thereby imparted to the operating member 81 and through it to all of the rollers'and roller discs. Inv this movement, the discs move upthe inclined portionsy of the angle members 36- and 43 until they are supported upon the upper horizontal portions 49 and 41. In this movementof the discs the rollers. 50 are projected upwardly through the openings 10 in the web 66 of the track so as to engage the horizontal ilange 15 of the door angle member 12 and elevate the door above the track. When so elevated the door may then be moved upon the. rollers to any desired position. When it is desired to lower the door into frictional' engagement with the track the operating lever is swung in clockwise directionl as viewed in Fig. l, whereupon the discs will move down the inclined portions of the angle'member 36 and 43 so as to retract the rollers below.l the track 65. If desired, means may be providedito fasten theA lever 98 in `position when the door is elevated. Y

It is to be observed from the foregoing description that-.the track, supporting brackets. and the lift mechanism may be assembled. as a unit and then fastened to the side sill reinforcement. When the unit is secured to the side sillreinforcement *the track lies in protective relationship to the rollers, discs and connecting members.;-

The notch 35, referred to hereinabove, is formed in the side wall. 311l of the outer-bracket member 28fso that the rollers 50 may assume their lowermost position, as more clearly shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings.

Numerous changes and modifications in the details of the invention will be clear to those skilled in the art. It is intended, therefore, that all such modications and changes be comprehended within this invention which is to be limited only by the scope of the claims appended hereto.

I claim:

1. Door lift mechanism of the character described comprising a plurality of longitudinally spaced brackets, laterally spaced walls on each bracket, a member secured to each wall, each member having a flange, a portion of said flange being inclined longitudinally, a roller disposed between said members, a pin extending through each roller, discs rotatably mounted on said pin on either side of each roller, said discs being seated upon said flanges, means disposed between said bracket walls connecting said pins, a track having a web and downwardly directed anges secured to said brackets on opposite sides of said rollers, and a lever secured to said pinconnecting means, the web of said track having spaced openings to permit projection 'of said rollers above said web.

2. Door lift mechanism of the character de scribed comprising a plurality of longitudinally spaced brackets, laterally spaced walls on each bracket, a member secured to each wall, each member having a flange, a portion of said ilange being inclined longitudinally, rollers disposed between said members, means carried by said rollers, discs rotatably mounted on said means on either side of said rollers, said discs being seated upon said flanges, means disposed between said bracket walls connecting said roller means, a track having a web and downwardly directed flanges secured to said brackets on opposite sides of said rollers, and a lever secured to said connecting means, the web of said track having spaced openings to permit projection of said rollers above said web.

3. Door lift mechanism of the character described comprising a plurality of longitudinally spaced brackets, laterally spaced walls on each bracket, a member secured to each wall, each member having a ange, a portion of said iiange being inclined longitudinally, rollers disposed between said members, means carried by said rollers, discs rotatably mounted on said means on either side of said rollers, said discs being seated upon said flanges, means disposed between said bracket walls connecting said roller means, a member secured to each bracket and having a web and downwardly directed flanges disposed on opposite sides of a roller, and a lever secured to said connecting means, said web having an opening therein to permit projection of said rollers above said web.

4. Door lift mechanism of the character described comprising a plurality of longitudinally spaced brackets, means carried by said brackets, said means having longitudinally inclined p0rtions, rollers, means carried by said rollers, discs rotatably mounted on said roller means, said discs being seated on said bracket means and movable along said inclined portions, said rollers being spaced from said bracket means, means connecting said roller means, and a lever secured to said connecting means.

5. Door lift mechanism of the character described comprising a plurality of longitudinally spaced brackets, laterally spaced members carried by each bracket, said members having longitudinally inclined portions, rollers disposed between said members, means carried by each roller, discs rotatably mounted on said means on either side of each roller, said discs being seated on said members and movable along said inclined portions, means connecting said roller means, and a lever secured to said connecting means.

6. In a railway house car having a door, a track carried by said car adapted to frictionally support said door, a plurality of pairs of laterally spaced members carried by said car, said members having longitudinally inclined portions, a roller disposed between each pair of melnbers, means carried by each roller, discs rotatably mounted 4on said means on either side of each roller, said discs being seated on said members and movable along said inclined portions, said discs and rollers lying at the lower end of said inclined portions when said door is frictionally supported on said track, and means for moving said discs up said inclined portions, said rollers being projected above said track to elevate said door during said movement of said discs.

7. Door lift mechanism comprising supporting means, said means having a longitudinally inclined portion, a roller, means on said roller, means rotatably mounted on said roller means, said last mentioned means being seated upon said supporting means and movable along said inclined portion, said last mentioned means supporting said roller relative to said supporting means, and means for moving said last mentioned means along said inclined portion.

FRANK DITCHFIELD. 

